Delhiites perform yoga with Naidu, Baijal, Kejriwal

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 21

Delhiites gathered in large numbers at various parks and public squares across the city to mark the third International Day of Yoga, even as pre-dawn showers played a bit of a spoilsport.

In the national Capital, the third edition of the celebrations played out at several venues--from open plazas in central Delhi to old municipal parks and sprawling gardens in other parts of the city.

Union ministers M Venkaiah Naidu and Vijay Goel, Lt Governor Anil Baijal and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also took part in the celebrations. NDA presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind and senior BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi also joined in.

Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik along with other senior officers performed yogasans at Ramlila Grounds.

Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj, Sawan Kirpal Ruhani Mission, also organized a yoga camp at Kirpal Bagh. Several hundred devotees attended the camp. Similar programmes were organized by Central Armed Police Forces, including CISF, BSF, CRPF, NDRF and SSB in different parts of Delhi.

The streets of Connaught Place Inner Circle, where vehicular movement has been restricted, wore a festive look as old and young, dressed in colourful attire, pulled and stretched to perform various asanas.

Mats were also rolled out at the six radial roads of the famed market place, Lodhi Garden, Nehru Park, Talkatora Garden and Children's Park at India Gate, under the aegis of the New Delhi Municipal Council.

The day was also celebrated on the Red Fort lawns by a huge gathering. Elaborate security arrangements were put in place.

The city wore a festive look as striking yoga-themed murals were created at various places in the run-up to the celebrations, transforming drab metal sheets at building construction sites and dreary walls of municipal parks into bright canvases.

The major events by DDA were held at District Park, Sector-11, Dwarka, Swarn Jayanti Park, Rohini and Yamuna Sports Complex in east Delhi.

The three municipal corporations also held events to mark the day--the North Delhi Municipal Corporation at Ajmal Khan Park; the South Corporation at Talkatora Stadium; and the East Corporation at its headquarters in Patparganj.

"Two big screens have been set up at Ajmal Khan Park to beam a live telecast of Yoga Day celebrations in Lucknow," a senior civic official said.

Entry and exit points at the Rajiv Chowk Metro station were closed till 8.30 am for the Yoga Day celebrations.